Jim Dennis hurried across to lead his horse in, followed by Dr Tom and an excited crowd of people.
'Well done, Willie,' said Jim, and then, catching sight of his son's face, he trembled all over. Willie was pale as death and looked straight before him with wide, staring eyes.
Dr Tom came up, and, seeing the lad's state, said, —
'He'll hardly be able to weigh in, Jim. Hold on fast, Willie,' he said. 'You must not fail us now; that will never do. You have won the race. Do you hear me? Neptune's won!'
The lad smiled faintly and nodded.
'I'm all right now, Dr Tom,' he said in a dull voice.
CHAPTER XIX
SAL AT WORK
He staggered as he got out of the saddle, and in a mechanical way unbuckled the straps. Then he walked into the weighing-room with his father and Dr Tom, one on each side.
He scaled all right, and there was another deafening cheer.
When the tension relaxed, and he knew everything was right, and that he had done what had been asked of him, he fainted.
It quickly got about that Willie Dennis was in a bad way, and some people said the race had been too much for him, and that it was a shame for his father to let him ride.
When Dr Tom heard such remarks, he could no longer refrain from speaking out, and said indignantly, —
'If you knew the cause of this fainting fit you would not talk like that. There's been foul play somewhere, and I don't care who knows it now the race is over.'
'Foul play? What do you mean, doctor?' said Aaron Hyam.
'Listen, and I will tell you. Last night Jim Dennis and myself went to your place and left Willie at home. When we returned, we found him insensible on the floor, and he had received a violent blow on the back of the head. Some scoundrel, I suppose, who had laid against Neptune, did it, but we mean to find out the culprit.'
There was an angry murmur at this, for the Swamp Creek people knew and trusted Dr Tom, and they hated foul play.
They were standing inside Aaron Hyam's booth, and Abe Dalton heard what passed, but he knew he had little cause to fear, because no one had seen him enter Dr Tom's. Constable Doonan was also there, and said to Dr Tom, 'Have you repeated this to Sergeant Machinson?'
'No, but the police magistrate knows; and he saw Willie Dennis early this morning and felt the lump on his head.'
Sergeant Machinson, seeing the crowd gathered in the booth, came up and asked what was the matter.
'Matter enough,' said Dr Tom. 'Willie Dennis was attacked last night and hit over the head. I hope you will make inquiries into the matter.' Then, catching sight of Abe Dalton, Dr Tom said, 'Perhaps Dalton can lay his hand on the man who did it. He's about as likely a person as anyone I know for that job. They have some shady fellows hanging around Barker's Creek.'
'You let me alone,' said Abe Dalton, menacingly. 'What right have you to make such accusations against me?'
'The right every honest man has to think ill of a thief,' said Dr Tom, boldly.
'You shall pay for this,' said Dalton.
Constable Doonan put his hand on Abe Dalton's shoulder and said, —
'I saw you coming from the direction of Dr Sheridan's house last night. Be careful what you say and do.'
'And who the devil are you that I should be afraid of you? Can't a man walk about the street without being suspected of such a thing as this? Wait until your betters speak to me,' said Dalton.
'I think you had better let the matter rest for the present,' said Sergeant Machinson to Dr Tom. 'I will see every inquiry is made.'
'Mind you do,' said the doctor, who had a temper when it was roused. 'Mind you do, and don't forget to call at Barker's Creek for information.'
'I know my work, and need no instructions from you,' said the sergeant, and walked away. The doctor's statement was soon known, and sympathy was expressed for Jim Dennis and his son.
Willie, the hero of the town, was taken to a comfortable buggy, and Jim Dennis was about to remove him from the course when the lad recovered and opened his eyes.
'Are you better now?' asked his father.
'Yes,' said Willie, faintly. 'Please do not take me home; it will do me good to watch the other races.'
'If you think you can stand it, we will remain.'
'I'll be all right, dad. It was more the excitement of the race than anything else upset me.'
When Sal saw Neptune battling out the finish with Distant Shore she rushed down towards the crowd to find out which horse had won.
As she did so she encountered Rodney Shaw, who stopped her and said, —
'Where are you going? You seem to be in a hurry, Sal.'
'Has Willie won? Has he won? Please tell me, Mr Shaw.'
'Yes, he has beaten me and won the race; at least the judge says so. I think my horse won,' he replied.
Sal clapped her hands in delight, and her eyes sparkled. She really looked a handsome woman at that moment, and so thought Rodney Shaw as he saw her hurry away in her eager desire to find Willie.
'I'll have her,' he muttered. 'Abe Dalton must do the trick. He can manage it, and he shall.' The look on his face was not pleasant to see.
Sal knew nothing of race-courses, and had only been to Swamp Creek three or four times.
She was helpless, and blundered about in the crowd until, by good chance, she came across Constable Doonan. She at once recognised a friend, and recalled what Willie had told her Doonan had said about her.
The constable recognised her, and was surprised to see her in such a place.
'Where is Willie?' she asked. 'Please tell me where I can find him. Mr Shaw told me he had won the race.'
'Mr Shaw!' said Constable Doonan. 'Have you been with him?'
'I met him a few minutes ago. He said Willie had won.'
'I hope you do not have much to say to Rodney Shaw,' said Doonan.
'No, I do not like him. I am afraid of him. He is a bad man, and he is no friend to Jim Dennis,' she said.
'I will take you to Willie,' said Doonan. 'Come with me.'
Sergeant Machinson saw Sal speak to Doonan, and when they walked away together he intercepted them, and, drawing the constable aside, said, —
'You know very well you ought not to be walking about with that woman. That is not part of your duty. Do you think it is?'
'Yes. She asked me where Willie Dennis was, and I thought there was no harm in showing her. She is Jim Dennis's housekeeper, and looks after his place well. She is a very decent woman, let me tell you.'
Sergeant Machinson laughed.
'Housekeeper, eh! He seems to pick out the best he can find. Does she come from about here?'
'Yes, I believe so, and she has been with him for some years.'
'Well, take her to Dennis, and be quick; but remember it's not the sort of thing to do here – people notice it,' said the sergeant.
'You go to the deuce,' said Doonan as he walked off, but the sergeant did not hear him.
He took Sal to the buggy, and when she saw Willie she looked frightened, he was so pale.
'What's the matter, lad?' she asked. 'What ails you?'
'He is over-excited,' said Jim, 'and something happened him last night.'
'Happened him!' she exclaimed.
'Yes, he was knocked on the head, but we mean to find out who did it,' said Jim.
The woman's eyes blazed angrily.
'Let me help you to find out,' she said eagerly.
'What can you do, Sal?' asked Jim, surprised.
'I'll find him out. They shall not hurt you, Willie, for nothing.'
'Where are you going?' called Jim as she walked away.
Sal did not look round, but went straight on to where she saw Constable Doonan standing.
'Here again!' exclaimed the constable. 'Why have you left Willie?'
'Do you know what happened to him last night?' she said, answering him with another question.
'You mean at the doctor's place? Yes, I know about it; I wish I knew who did it.'
'You'll find out,' she said. 'Have you any idea?'
He looked at her doubtfully. He was very fond of Sal, but he did not know whether he ought to communicate any suspicions he might have to her. She saw him hesitate, and said, —
'Can't you trust me? I might be able to help you.'
'You?'
'Yes, why not? They say blacks are more cunning than whites.'
'But you are not black, Sal; you are a woman of quite another colour,' and he smiled at her.
'You do suspect someone. Tell me who it is.'
'I met Abe Dalton, alone, coming from the direction of the doctor's house. I thought it strange he should be there when all the people were at the Gum Tree, and wagering going on,' said Doonan.
'Where is Dalton?'
'I saw him last in Hyam's booth. You must not question him about it.'
'Leave that to me,' she said. Then, placing her hand on his arm, she added, 'Find out who did it. You will; I am sure you will.'
'All right, Sal, I'll do my best, but Sergeant Machinson may take the matter out of my hands.'
A contemptuous look came over her face.
'I don't think much of the sergeant,' she said. 'You are worth a dozen of him.'
Constable Doonan felt satisfied with himself, and thought Sal a woman of much discernment. He determined then and there to do what she asked, sergeant or no sergeant.
Wandering around, Sal saw Abe Dalton after the next race, and he also saw her.
'This will be a good opportunity of speaking to her,' he thought. 'I would like to do this bit of business for Rodney Shaw; he's rich, and a rich friend is always handy, more especially if he happens to be a partner in a suspicious transaction.'
He put himself in her way, little thinking she was also intent upon seeing him.
Sal was a woman of more than average intelligence and strength, and quite equal to Abe Dalton in cunning when desirous of pitting herself against such a man.
Jim Dennis was the only one who knew her worth and of what she was capable, and when she left him sitting with Willie in the buggy he had not the slightest doubt she had some scheme on hand for discovering the perpetrator of the assault.
'So you came to see your pet lad win?' said Abe Dalton, as he stood in front of her.
'He beat you and that fellow Jackson,' said Sal, exultingly.
Abe Dalton was still boiling over this defeat, and he had not much faith in Sal's sagacity, or in that of any man, woman, or child, with black blood in its veins.
'He never ought to have won. The horse won. Neptune is a good one, I can tell you. The little ass was half dazed at the finish,' snapped Abe.
'So would you have been had you been struck on the head like he was the night before,' she retorted.
'So you believe that story, eh? Well, let me tell you, it's a lie, an undiluted lie, not a single thing to redeem it. Struck on the head! Well, I'm blessed! And you believe it?'
'I not only believe it, but I know who did it,' was the unexpected reply.
In spite of himself he started, and she noticed it.
He laughed harshly.
'You think yourself – clever, I suppose?' he growled.
'Some of your men did it because you wanted The Captain to win,' she said.
He felt a sense of relief. She did not think he had done it.
'Who are my men?' he asked.
'Shall I tell you?' was her fierce answer.
'Go on, let's have it.'
'Your men are the worst lot yet unhung. They are the lowest of the low, and had not Jim Dennis taken me in I might have been herded with those outcasts from the tribe at Barker's Creek. Beware, Abe Dalton! King Charlie is not yet dead, and he never forgets. Some day Barker's Creek will run with blood. I can see it – see it now. Run with blood, I tell you, Abe Dalton – and your own will mingle with it, the black and the white together.' And she raised her hand as though she would strike him.
He left her without another word.
CHAPTER XX
DANGER AT HAND
After the races, Swamp Creek settled down into its usual quiet ways, and the excitement quickly subsided.
Most of the inhabitants won a trifle over Neptune's victory and were therefore gratified at the result of the cup.
Willie Dennis was none the worse for the blow he had received, but his father was desperately angry, and no steps appeared to have been taken by the police to ascertain who committed the outrage.
'They are a dunderheaded, sleepy lot,' he said to Sal; 'and Doonan appears to be no better than the others.'
'It is not his fault,' she replied. 'I know who did it, and so do you. It was Abe Dalton. I could see it in his face when I tackled him at the races. The coward shrank from me.'
'I think he is the man,' said Jim; 'but we have no proof. I am going over to Barragong with Dr Tom. We shall not be away more than two or three days. You can look after things here. Willie will be able to attend to the hands, and see Neptune and the other horses are properly exercised. I will tell Silas Dixon to keep a watchful eye on everything, but I do not think there is anything to fear, and you will not be molested.'
'I am not afraid,' she said; 'and I can use a revolver as well as most men.'
'Yes, you are a good shot,' he answered her. 'I hope there will be no occasion for shooting.'
He rode over with Dr Tom Sheridan on a long-promised visit to Adye Dauntsey.
Jim Dennis was a regular stay-at-home, and never cared to be long away from Wanabeen.
The police magistrate, however, knew how to entertain such visitors, and he possessed a fund of anecdote, and had gone through a wide and varied experience, which enabled him to relate many stories of interest connected with the district.
Abe Dalton was not slow to learn that Jim Dennis was absent from Wanabeen, and he thought it would be a good time to attempt to get possession of Sal during his absence.
He laid his plans accordingly, and four of his men were allotted to undertake the task.
There were, however, in the blacks' camp at Barker's Creek, women who had come to loathe and hate Dalton and all his belongings, and who sometimes managed to escape the vigilance of his men and get away unseen, when they would visit Sal at Wanabeen, or search out their own tribe. They were bound to return to the Creek, or it would have gone ill with those remaining behind.
Dalton's men took but little heed of the blacks, talking freely in front of them, and it came to their knowledge that Sal was in some danger, so they determined to warn her. The nature of the danger they failed to understand, but that it existed they were certain.
At night one of the gins slipped away unobserved and walked to Wanabeen, where she arrived at daybreak. These blacks knew the country well, and had they been treated in a decent manner would not have been slow to appreciate kindness.
Sal was always willing to give them a helping hand, and tried to persuade them not to go back to Barker's Creek when they came to Wanabeen, but without avail. They regarded her with a sort of awe, knowing her to be partially one of themselves and yet far superior. They could not understand how a woman who had once been in their tribe became as she was.
When Sal went outside she saw the black gin waiting on the steps of the verandah. She welcomed her and gave her food, and then questioned her.
She gathered that some danger threatened her from Dalton's gang, and that Jim's absence from Wanabeen was known at Barker's Creek.
She thought but little of herself, all her anxiety was for Willie and Jim Dennis's property.
Where was Constable Doonan? That was her first thought, for she knew he would help her, and the arm of the law was strong. In such a district it was a hard matter to know where the mounted police are to be found.
Constable Doonan was stationed at Swamp Creek, but he might not be there, and there was no time to lose.
She thought for a few moments, and then sent Willie to tell Dixon she wanted him. She knew she could trust Silas Dixon, although he was a surly, misanthropical sort of man.
Dixon came, and growled out something about being interfered with in his work, and that he wished the boss was at home and there was no women to meddle with him.
'So do I wish he was here,' said Sal, 'for danger is at hand. You must ride to Swamp Creek and seek out Constable Doonan, and if he is not there you must find him.'
'Easier said than done,' was his answer.
'But you must find him, Silas. There is danger!' And she related what the black gin from Barker's Creek had said.
'Whew,' whistled Silas, 'Dalton's lot, eh! They have left us alone for a good number of years, and now the scoundrels are breaking out again. I'll go, and I'll find Doonan. I owe Dalton one, as many another good man round here does.'
'Lose no time about it, find him as quickly as possible,' said Sal; 'and, mind, not a word to Willie about it.'
'He'd better know. That lad's useful. He's as good as a man, bless yer heart.'
'Tell him, then. Do as you think best,' said Sal.
Willie had been riding Neptune in an early morning spin, and when he returned Silas said to him, —
'I know you'll not be frightened, Willie, at what I'm going to tell you. One of the blacks from Barker's Creek's here, and she tells Sal there's to be ructions around Wanabeen.'
'When?' said Willie, quietly.
'While the boss is away, sure,' said Silas.
'What'll we do?'
'I'm going for Doonan. If he is here they'll get pepper,' said Silas.
'I'll go with you.'
Then, as the lad thought for a moment or two, he added, —
'If I go there will be no one with Sal, but we shall not be long away.'
Silas smiled.
'I thought he was as good as a man,' he muttered to himself. 'He's a chip off Jim Dennis, if ever there was one. Whoa up, you beggar! You just missed me.'
The latter part of these remarks were meant for Neptune, who had lashed out at Silas with both heels.
Willie laughed as he said, —
'He's beaten Abe Dalton once, and he'd do it again if he could only get one home like that.'
'When can you come?' asked Silas.
'I'll have a snack and be with you quick,' replied Willie.
Neptune having been installed in his box and properly looked after, Willie went inside to refresh himself.
'He's told you,' said Sal.
'Yes,' said Willie, consuming a square meal with considerable rapidity, 'he's told me.'
'And you'll go with him?'
'Rather.'
'And when you see Constable Doonan what will you say?' asked Sal.
'Leave that to me. I'll fetch him quick enough.'
'You will be able to find him?'
'I know where he is.'
'Where?'
'Just outside of Barker's Creek, on the watch.'
'What for?' asked Sal.
'Business, so he said,' answered Willie, 'whatever that means.'
The lad finished his meal and left the room.
They were quickly mounted, Silas and the boy, and rode off in the direction of Barker's Creek, for Willie had told him where he had seen Doonan.
'You "copt" him there this morning. You must have given Neptune a rare good spin,' said Silas.
'He wants it,' said Willie. 'Long and strong work he wants. That won him the cup. Do you know how I felt, Silas, when he was winning?'
'No, lad, but I'd like to.'
They were riding at a good pace, and the old hand thought, 'What a seat the boy has! He can beat me with all my knack of doing it.'
'I felt just like shooting through the sky on a comet,' said Willie.
'As fast as that?'
'Yes; and when we passed the box I had no idea what had won or where I was. Neptune went over the ground at a tremendous rate.'
'But you were bad, ill, and you had no idea what you were doing. That's the yarn they tell me,' said Silas.
'I felt a bit queer, but I stuck on fast and sat still. That's the way to ride Neptune. If I'd moved on him I believe he would have lost. That knock on the head helped me, I had to sit still.'
'There's someone over yonder,' said Silas. 'Your eyes are better than mine. Who is it?'
'It is Doonan. Come on,' shouted the lad.
They rode at their horses' best pace, for Constable Doonan was well ahead of them.
'I'll coo-ee,' said Silas, and he did, and the familiar sound carried far, to Doonan's ears. The constable looked round, and as he did so reined in his horse. He knew there must be something 'up' or they would not have ridden after him at that pace.
He rode towards them.
'You two appear to be having a race,' he said.
They looked at each other.
'Tell him, Willie,' said Silas.
The lad was not long in explaining.
'I'll ride back with you,' said Doonan. 'They can have done no harm yet.'
'Why are you around here?' said Silas.
'I want Seth Sharp,' said the constable.
'What for?'
'There's been murder done.'
'Who is it?'
'Ned Glenn.'
Willie and Silas looked at him in horror. They could not believe it. Ned Glenn, the old coach-driver they had known for so many years!
'Dead – not Ned, surely!'
'It's right, lads; and he just had time to say it was Seth Sharp shot him and that Dalton's lot were in it. Let me get hold of any of them, that's all,' and the constable raised his clenched fist and looked fierce.
The tears came into Willie's eyes. Ned Glenn was a real old friend, and he could not bear to think of it.
'How did it happen?' said Silas.
'The coach was stuck up about three miles outside Swamp Creek. All I know, and the others know, is that Ned was found lying on the ground dying. Two horses were killed, and there were no passengers. What the motive for the business was I don't know and cannot imagine. There was no gold in the coach, and it is most likely Seth Sharp did it out of revenge. You may remember, Silas, it was Ned Glenn who put him away?'
'So it was, so it was,' said Dixon.
'We must make haste,' was Willie's comment. 'Suppose Sharp was one of the men sent over to our place?'
'He'll not venture there. He has put his neck in a halter this time,' said Doonan; 'and Barker's Creek will have to be wiped out.'